Star Wars: Empire Dawning
by sTk
Summary: Taking place between Episodes III and IV, this story tells the tale of the gaps. Vader and the Emperor almost at war, Tarkin under fire, Clones fighting for survival, ghosts from the past and more await you in the story that gives birth to the Empire.
1. Chapter 1

**Star Wars: Empire Dawning**

**Part 1: An Empire Begins**

The dark depths of space clouded the mind of a once student of the Jedi arts. The shining stars reflected off the polished surface of his menacing black helmet. The breathing silenced for a short second and then resumed. Then it stopped abnormally before resuming once more. There seemed to be a problem with his breathing unit. He would have to get that fixed next time he was in the medical bay. He made a turn, his cape followed him. He proceeded to walk down the bridge of the Imperial Attack Cruiser, to the turbolift. The Imperial Commander guarding the lift took one look at the tall man and then made a quick exit to his left in fright. The door whooshed open and inside the black clad man went. The door shut with an almost silent thud.

Vader turned. He had seen these surroundings before but he was only just getting used to them. "Take me to my quarters". The computer recognised the deep commanding voice as Lord Vader and would take him to level fourteen, that which the Dark Lords quarters awaited. The Emperor's quarters was also on the that level. In fact they were the only two living spaces on the level, all of the other officers were split into sublevels according to rank but level fourteen remained solely for the Sith. The level did however have various meditation rooms and that was what Vader was in need of. Meditation. The sound of the breathing stopped again. All that could be heard was the silence of whirring mechanisms as the turbolift moved with careful violence about the ship. He clutched his chest in agony almost dropping to his knees but keeping himself balanced inside the small space. The turbolift jolted. The shake seemed to bring Vader's life support system online once more. He removed his hand and stood calmly once more. The door hissed open, smoke filled level fourteen and a the silhouette of a cloaked figure remained in front of the turbolift.

"I have been expecting you Lord Vader", spoke Palpatine in his usual cold manner.

Vader said nothing. The two walked along the cold hallway. It seemed to grow somewhat longer as they walked.

"What troubles you my apprentice?", Palpatine inquired.

"I had an... experience inside the turbolift", struggled Vader to tell his master.

"What sort of, experience?"

"My support systems shut down. Once before while on the bridge and yet again inside the turbolift"

"Are you sure? Those systems were designed by the Mustafarians themselves", said Palpatine with a hint of disbelief.

"Mustafar?", questioned Vader.

"Yes! Designed for work on that volcanic planet. It is why I found it suitable for you. It would aid your almost disintegrated lungs and keep you alive. I did not expect there to a problem. It shall have to be modified. Why did you not report yourself to the medical bay?"

It had been a year since he had been on that planet but it seemed all too familiar. Images of his former master leaving him burning on the hot coals of Mustafar flooded back to him. One day he would repay such a fate to Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"I believed I could control it my master"

Palpatine stopped at the door to his personal meditation chamber.

"Control it? You are a Jedi no longer Lord Vader, you need not follow their ways now. You swore yourself to me and the Sith, you shall obey it from here on apprentice."

"Yes master" Vader couldn't tell why but he seemed to feel a sense of frustration towards his Emperor. They were friends once , long ago, but now everything seemed different. They were not the same since Vader had aligned himself with Palpatine. They were now more distant and Vader felt like one lone tie fighter boarded among his ship. Common.

"Now go, and have it repaired at once", squawked Palpatine before opening the door to the chamber and entering it.

"Yes master" With that Vader exited back through the turbolift in which he had came. His meditation would have to wait. He would obey his Emperor first and foremost and then attend to his personal tasks. It was the way of things. The way the "secure society" of the Empire was to be ruled. Not even Vader could undermine it. The door shut once more and moved Vader up to the level eight, the medical level.

Palpatine smiled to himself once inside. Little did Vader know, it was Palpatine who had disrupted his systems. Ever since he seen his "creation" born truly as Darth Vader he had enjoyed toying with him and feeding from his dark emotions. The anger Vader had received when Palpatine gladly bared the news the Padme, his wife, had died was overwhelming and Palpatine knew he would surely have to exploit that if he were to breed such a terror upon the galaxy so that his own grand vision could be created, one that was solely run by him. He took a moment inside before waving his hand towards the keypad and in an instant the door shut and locked. He moved towards a metal-like cabinet and removed a section of it. The top piece was merely a decoy, a hologram. He entered his deformed hand inside and removed a pyramidal shaped device. He placed on his table and waited a moment viewing the device. Palpatine moved his hand to the object and opened it.

The door whooshed open. Vader exited the turbolift as he had once before. Luckily there had been no more mishaps of his systems. He walked down the long hallway and made a turn through an automatically opening door. He stepped through it and it sealed behind him with a click. The idea of the medical bay was to keep contaminations confined. The doors would keep any disease inside the medical bay and lock it off. The droids would then be able to either cure or kill the contaminated patient. On this occasion, the droids has been programmed to only cure Vader and never kill him. Good medical droids were not common and the Empire needed as many as they could for their ships. Accidents did happen. Vader sat down on the hover bed and a droid of design Vader had never seen before came almost immediately to him.

"What... izz your probblemm?", the droid beeped. Evidently it had a speech impediment. Imperfections in droids did not amuse Darth Vader.

"There is a malfunction in my breathing unit. Fix it"

The droid worked away while Vader waited. The eyes behind the helmet viewed the bright lights of the ceiling as he had done once before on Coruscant. The layout was exactly the same. He dismissed it as a coincidence when the droid moved into his sight.

"No probblemms could bee found". The impediment irrated Vader. He was also not pleased that the droid had not fixed the unit, let alone decide that nothing was wrong. He was the one that experience how wrong it was.

The force came to Vader's command. The droid was lifted higher from the ground and flung to the other end of the room, crashing into pieces at a metallic table. Vader sat up and relinquished the force from his command. He moved to the door, it opened slowly, he walked out his cape following sharply behind. "How could this be", he thought to himself. "There is to be no, explanation for what happened to me?. Vader decided he would meditate on the matter, it usually made things easier when he had problems, something he seldom did as a Jedi.

The device seemed to move into Palpatine's mind, or at least the visions did. He could see everything clearly. He saw his own old master, Darth Plaguies speaking with him. The words were unclear to Palpatine, they were in a strange tongue he had never learned, but there was still a record of it. The vision shifted to the inside of a home on Coruscant. The busy sky outside rumbled until a hand closed the windows and shut the blinds on them. It then moved to another room, in the name home, where a man was sitting. His back was turned but he was silent. He was in a deep sleep and the vision moved closer to him. A slow, rhythmical breathing was heard as the hand took a lightsaber and placed it towards the back of the man. Within a flash of red light it ignited and the hand made an upwards slice until the cloaked man fell. The vision shifted again to that which looked like a mirror and in it Palpatine's face was seen, covered in blood with an ignited lightsaber in hand. The body of Darth Plaguies below him.

The vision ended and Palpatine became restless. A smile swept across his face as he put back the device, known as a holocron, and sat down on his char. He touched a panel and the young looking face of Governor Tarkin showed up on a hologram in front of him.

"How are the reports of the space station, Governor", said the old, croaked voice of Palpatine.

The younger, yet distinct voice of Tarkin answered. "Well my Emperor. The reports I have received indicate that the initial structure has been modelled and rechecked by our scientists. It will work most pleasingly. Tests have already begun on the weapon itself" Tarkin loosened his shirt a little, sweat rising on his brow. "However, my Emperor, it would seem that the weapon itself could take up to fifteen years to be completed. Various small scale tests will have to be used to determine how the weapon will work, once we find the right frequency and mechanics of the actual weapon itself. The space station could be completed in a year or two. We have had to move our research teams to the planet of Mygeeto while they are working on different designs and such. Mygeeto is the perfect planet for us to begin work on. The plans we received are being refined as we speak. That alone may take up to a year unfortunately" The sweat dripped from Tarkin's brow but he didn't move.

Palpatine smiled and even chuckled a hoarse laugh. "We have all the time needed Governor and more. Time is not important to me. The building of the Empire is. The weapon shall be a force needed to crush any opposition that stands in my way. It is a backup. A safety plan. At this moment in time I do not see myself using it. However, I want you Governor Tarkin to oversee the operation of the battle station. Have you thought of a name for such a station".

Relieved, Tarkin stood up to his full height once more with a smile crossing his own face. "Death Star, sir"

Palpatine nodded slightly. "Very well Governor Tarkin. Do not fail my trust in you"

The hologram of Tarkin bowed and then it faded. Palpatine turned in his black chair to view outside into space. His worn eyes seemed to almost gleam for a moment before he uttered two words into space. "Death Star".


	2. Chapter 2

**Star Wars: Empire Dawning**

**Part 2: Ghosts In The Machine**

Tarkin gave a sigh of relief. His moment with the Emperor was over. He did hope there would not be another. Although it was deemed a "grand" occasion he disliked them intensely. He admired the Empire he was a part of running but not its leader. To him, Palpatine did seem to focus on mythologies too much and never what was happening in the galaxy. And to be perfectly honest, the Emperor's appearance sent chills up the Governor's spine. 

"Commander Grell. Report" Tarkin stood over the Commander, staring into a viewscreen. He was pressing various buttons and controls and then a message appeared on the small screen.

"A member of the Mygeeto Government wishes to speak with you sir. He says it's a private matter and he wishes it discussed on the planet's surface." Grell stopped for a moment, waiting for Tarkin's response as he never knew exactly what he would do.

"Does he?" Tarkin smiled. "Patch me through to him will you?"

The commander nodded and the long face of General Sleph appeared after the pressing of various buttons.

"Hello there Sleph, what can Tarkin do for you today hmm." The Governor grinned; it was not a pleasant sight.

"I request an audience with you Governor. It is of the highest importance that we discuss the matter now!"

Tarkin's grin faded "No"

"No?"

"I will not discuss this matter with you. I've told you before, I'll only talk to Baraloq"

"Leader Baraloq is dead Governor."

"Dead?" The words seemed to whisper from Tarkin. This was unexpected. No one in the Empire would dare do such a thing. The Muuns would not wish the fate if they did.

The image crackled up and then faded abruptly.

"Commander?" Tarkin pressed his hand on Grell's shoulder, motioning him to get the connection back.

"I'm sorry sir, but the we've lost all connection to Mygeeto"

Tarkin slammed his hand down on the metal station. "Get my shuttle"

Vader sat in his quarters, alone. His mind began to focus, commencing his meditation.

Nothing came to him at first except darkness. Then the fire began to consume his mind, the fire of Mustafar. The fire in his eyes when he slaughtered the members of the Confederacy with only hatred in his heart.

He tried to focus. He did not want these memories to be with him. He wanted the events of Mustafar out of his mind but still images forced themselves into his mind.

He began to see himself choking Padme and smiling while doing it. Faint laughter was in the background.

You turned her against me!

You have done that yourself

Images of Obi-Wan slicing Anakin and leaving him for dead on Mustafar entered his mind. More laughter persisted.

You were like my brother Anakin, I loved you

I hate you!

He now began to see his own burned, scarred body. He felt the agony again. The images shifted to the suit he would wear for the rest of his life. He felt nothing again.

Henceforth you shall be known as Darth … Vader!

The laughter ended. All he seen now was his own future, ruling the galaxy at his Emperor's side, more machine now than the man he once was.

He began to concentrate. To try and find out what was happening to him. He ban to see images but they weren't clear, they were distorted and fuzzy. Just when they began to clear one thought entered his mind, a thought that was a vision of the future and now a vision of the past. Padme dying in childbirth.

The laughter returned, booming through his mind.

It appears, you killed her!

Vader immediately opened his eyes and stood, the laughter echoing through his mind.

Tarkin's shuttle landed on Mygeeto. His personal Stormtroopers came out first, making sure the area was safe and then Tarkin followed. He did not appear to be happy.

General Sleph greeted them at the entrance to the main temple.

"Governor. I did not expect you to come so quick"

He moved his arm, indicating to the others to come inside. However Tarkin quickly moved to him and twisted the arm. A slight crack was heard and Sleph whimpered in pain.

"Why did you cut the connection! What happened to Baraloq! Answers!"

"I didn't, you did. I don't know!"

Sleph tried to free his arm but it only made it worse. A loud crack was heard and Tarkin let go of the lifeless arm. He clasped Sleph's throat and shoved him against the wall.

"Answers!"

"We… We… found him dead in his room . He… He had been slaughtered. Blood. Blood was all over the room!"

"What else!" Tarkin moved his face closer to Sleph's, his eyes mere inches away from Sleph's.

Sleph produced a small datapad. His hand shook though and it fell. One of the Stormtroopers moved forward picked it up and handed it to Tarkin who swept through the information quickly.

It read: "Here you will find the beloved leader. A minion of the Empire. I and my group will not stand for your Emperor or his hound Lord Vader. However I have not dealt with you as I suspect you to be the one I have heard so much about. Mr Wilhuff Tarkin,. Yes you will find I know a lot about you and it is the reason I am contacting you through this death and not another agent of the Empire.So I have a little task for you. Find where I am and we shall talk and discuss a few things. You'll find everything in this message but, oh I'm so sorry, its coded. Happy hunting!"

Tarkin tightened his grip on the datapad he was holding and walked back to the shuttle. Sleph whimpered back into the temple quickly, hoping to never encounter Tarkin again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Star Wars: Empire Dawning**

**Part 3: Stranded**

As Tarkin approached his shuttle, the ramp lowered. He put one foot inside then heard blaster fire from the path he came. He jumped from the ramp, withdrew his blaster and began to run back. Then came a noise from the shuttle. The noise was faint at first but its volume increased rapidly. Tarkin turned his head back to see what it was when the entire shuttle blew up into flames.Five out of six troopers made it out alive.

"Governor Tarkin. We would be wise to find shelter. Whoever did this could strike again", said a Stormtrooper. One of the Troops however looked back at the body of his fallen comrade. This trooper was human, not one of the many clones. He removed his helmet and looked on at the burning body. Tears streaked down his face as he whispered into the pile of mechanical and human wreckage the words, "Brother". Tarkin nodded to the Stormtrooper and crossed over to the human Stormtrooper. He placed his hand on his shoulder. "We're going to get who did this and I promise you justice"

Palpatine's console bleeped furiously. He activated the viewscreen and the pale image of Commander Ogle.

"Commander, did I not say, no interruptions?"

The young commander answered. "I am sorry my lord but we have a distress signal coming through now, omega priority". He was new to the job, recently appointed commander for showing ruthlessness while making Skor "fit" for Imperial control.

"Omega priority?" Omega Priority was the highest level of distress signal that could be sent. It was usually automatically triggered by the destruction of a vessel. It was a rare case for one to be received, as it is never certain when a ship is destroyed if a signal will still make its way back. "What is its origin commander?"

"Mygeeto, sir". He hesitated in saying it. Reports of bad news often ended in death.

"Have you tried contacting our fleet there?"

"Yes, to no response my lord". He took a deep breath. It seemed he had not truly angered the Emperor.

"I want this ship to be at Mygeeto as soon as possible commander"

Palpatine turned in his chair as the viewscreen, showing the commander fleeing to a console, sizzled out. "I did not foresee a problem so soon. Interesting move." Palpatine smiled. His chair turned so that space was visible. "However foolish!"

Sleph spotted Tarkin inside the temple. He began to run but the Stormtroopers seemed to restrain him before his feet would move. Tarkin walked slowly up to him, removing his blaster. Sleph let a whimper slip out. He felt his death coming.

"Sleph my old friend. Tell me why my shuttle has been destroyed? I never thought you capable of such an act against me?" Tarkin's voice showed that he was playing with Sleph. He knew Sleph wasn't responsible but he thought that he knew more than he had previously said.

"No! I never got your shuttle destroyed! I never! We would never fail the Empire"

Tarkin raised the blaster. "Well quite frankly Sleph I've been here once today and I've had two problems with you failing me and failing the Empire so I've lost some faith in you" He positioned the blaster at Sleph's head but he wouldn't fire. He needed Sleph alive. For now.

"Allright! Me and my people haven't done anything, but something has happened. Last month we were contacted by an anonymous signal, it told us to expect and prepare for danger. Danger from the Empire. We didn't know who sent it at first but we were able to track it. It came from a planet. A distant planet…"

Tarkin pressed the blaster hard against Sleph's skull. "The name!"

"It was…" Sleph slumped forward, whispering to Tarkin but no words came. He fell forward and then onto the ground, dragging Tarkin's gun out of his now lifeless hand, a hole left smoking in the cranium.

Tarkin looked up to the balcony. A shadow was moving, carrying a sniper rifle of some sort unidentified by Tarkin, and it was exiting the building through a window. "Stop that man!"

The troopers began running for the exit, to capture the shadowed figure but at the entrace they found twenty armed guards stopped them. A small man wearing a large blue headdress stepped forward, noticing the fallen body of Sleph for himself. "Governor Tarkin! You… killed… our leader?"

"What is the meaning of this? I didn't kill your leader, why would I kill your Sleph?" The Stormtroopers had been pushed back and disarmed. The guards had surrouned them and the short man was still in shock. His eyes shifted to an Imperial blaster that was situated with Sleph. His head lowered. "Prepare these men for execution for tomorrow morning"

Vader walked along the corridor. His head started to spin and his vision became disorientated. He seen his wife dying over and over again. With more laugher, laughing at him. He tried to find an exit for his vision but the laughter became louder. He collapsed. His eyes opened, he was back in the corridor, outside Palpatine's quarters. The collapse had brought him out of the vision. The intensity of the visions were stronger than before however he was no closer to understanding them. To be honest he did not wish to understand them, he just wished for them to stop.

The door whooshed open and Palpatine stepped out of it. "Ahh Lord Vader, I was just about to contact you. Walk with me"

The two men began to walk along the corridor that was their own to the turbolift. "I'm sending you on an assignment, something very close to my previous world. There has been an uprising on the world of Naboo, I wish you to end that uprising"

Vader's breathing seemed to halt for a moment just as his feet did. "Naboo? I do not think I would be a suitable choice to send to that world my master" They began walking again.

"Nonsense. You are my finest, and who else would I trust to deal with something so personal to myself. You will go my friend, and you will bring peace back to the Empire" Palpatine smiled as the two men entered the turbolift. "It's my fault. I should have expected them to rebel, afterall I was their most trusted Chancellor" He laughed lowly. Vader turned his head slightly but then dismissed the thought entirely. It couldn't be him.

Tarkin sat in his cell, his hands in his head. How could he not have seen this one coming? It was obviously a setup from the start. The blaster fire, the ship and that blasted Sleph. Whoever set him up must have killed Baraloq in order to do so but why? It was the only question that entered his mind. Why him?

His thoughts were interrupted by the guard that had been visiting him. "Another present for you Governor" The guard chuckled, throwing a Stormtrooper helmet through the electric force field before exiting proclaiming the words, "You're next!"

Tarkin picked up the helmet and put it aside the others. All of them dead and for the crime they didn't commit. There was blood on this helmet, it horrified him.

The guard came back a few minutes later. "Not long now Guv. Oh! I almost forgot, this came for you" He tossed a datapad through the gates. "It's from the family of the man you killed. Enjoy"

After the guard left Tarkin looked at the datapad. There was the message, containing many hateful phrases and words native to Mygeeto that he didn't understand. However, the message changed. The words jumped around and shifted. It addressed him as Wilhuff, just like the last one.

"Sorry for the deceptive message but it's the only way this could come through. Enjoying prison life? I hear the fried Jawa is ohh… an acquired taste fit for the likes of you. I'm disappointed in you actually Willhuff, I'd have expected any other Imperial officer to just sit and take it but you! I'd have expected you to have broken out of your cell by now. Pity. I was enjoying our little "game". Oh and here's something to make you smile when you think of me. Sleph's assassination, yes, it was down to me. But you'll never find me now. Heh. Toodles"

In frustration, Tarkin threw the datapad at the gate. The ever-changing substance on the datapad interacted with the electricity. The electrified cell bars vanished. Tarkin looked up in shock but he didn't wait around. He quickly dashed out running for the back exit of the temple. It would have been empty, everyone else in the temple were waiting for the last execution. Tarkin slipped out without anyone noticing. He breathed a sigh of relief before noticing that there was an unattended speeder outside. It was either the new leader's or it had been left for him by his "friend." Either way, he had to take the chance. He jumped on and entered the co ordinates of his ship, or what was left of it. It was the one place his "friend" would be waiting for him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Star Wars: Empire Dawning**

**Part 4: A Safer, More Secure, Society**

Vader's personal Imperial Attack Cruiser landed on Naboo. It was smaller than most of the other Cruisers but it was faster and more powerful. He waited on the bridge for a moment, surrounded by the surviving members of the 501ST. After many of his troops were lost they had commissioned themselves with a new name. To some they were known simply as Veterans of the Clone Wars and teachers to the younger, newly enlisted troops. Their look had also changed. They were now clad in black armour, complete with capes. The Imperial insignia was boldly presented on their chests and helmets. They were an emulation of their master, Darth Vader. They were his executioners. Vader heard a knock on the metal of his ship. The ramp lowered and Vader exited to find a lone Gungan knocking on the metallic structure, surveying the ship, and admiring it. The Gungan cowered at Vader's appearance but his cowering was quickly subdued. Vader moved his hand and the Force was commanded. The Gungan's neck snapped. The Kaduu accompanying the Gungan was smarter than its master. It ran off out of Vader's sight, safe. The Executioners exited the ship also, stopping behind Vader.

"We're heading to the Palace, there we will eliminate the threat. Leave none alive."

The wreckage was still smouldering. The fire was still blazing in the darkness of night. Obviously it did not seem a major hazard to the Mygeeto Government. It was just a little bit of pollution, and they had executions to see. All but Tarkin's.

Out of the flames stepped a figure. His face flickered in the firelight, displaying several scars around his face, all of which had been there for a number of years.

"Finally you found me! I've been waiting long enough Wilhuff. I expected you to get here sooner, I expected a squad of troopers. They didn't survive I take it? Pity. I hope my "note" came in handy?"

Tarkin stopped dead, staring coldly at the glimmering face of the man. He had heard the voice before, it was all too familiar to him.

"Just who… who are you!" demanded Tarkin, raising his fist in the air and yet towards the man, ordering him to show himself.

The man stepped forward a little. His face became more visible but still Tarkin stared looking for more information.

"And I thought you would have been quicker than this. Pity"

The man stepped forward fully into the light. His hair was greyish and he had a slight beard. He wore a uniform with an insignia unrecognisable to Tarkin who was still staring at the face. Then it clicked as Tarkin stepped back in disbelief.

"It's impossible!" Tarkin recognised that face now. It was Jango Fett's face, the baseline for the Army. This was a Clonetrooper.

Vader and his troops marched forward. The streets themselves were empty. The sky was dark and there was a gushing wind blowing. Naboo was not like this; it was nothing Vader has seen before, in his past life.

The Palace remained the same except for one large electrified gate stopping any unwanted visitors getting through. . Two guards were stationed there. They stopped in front of the gate

"I'm sorry sir, this building is not open to the … eh … public"

Vader said nothing. He moved his hand and the Force was at his command again. The guards were pushed towards the gate; the electricity coursed through their bodies until they were dead and the only thing alive in them seemed to be the smoke. With the force he pushed the gate open and marched on.

The Clone bellowed. "Impossible! Ha. Don't make me laugh."

"Then how and more importantly why are you here?"

The Clone checked around in his belt for something. He picked up an old holoprojector and it played the message broadcast by Palpatine to every Clonetrooper at the end of the War: "Execute Order Sixty-Six!"

Tarkin nodded and was about to speak but the Clone cut him off.

"At the end of the Clone Wars not all of us responded and complied to that order. Not all of us were on missions but we were all in different parts of the galaxy but the order still seemed to reach us. The reason we didn't follow it was because of our generous makers. The first clones made contained different genetics to the ones you are affiliated with now. They are ordered to comply with Darth Sidious, your Emperor, and any orders issued by his staff in the Empire. The first of us were not made to comply but we were held back from the Battle of Geonosis. We were only let into the war after General Grievous started winning. We were needed immediately, all five thousand of us. There's only a few hundred now"

Tarkin shook his head. "This can't be true. Surely you wou…"

"Surely we would have been found out? No that's the thing. We were able to blend in long enough with the Order until we were able to secure a ship. Some of us decided to remain. There's a few hundred of us now, working together but there's still over a thousand working for us inside the beast itself. Inside the Empire!"

Vader and his Executioners ascended through the doors to the palace. Inside there were many different officials running about upon their arrival. Vader signalled for their lifes to end as he marched onwards to the Throne Room.

The troops began firing on the officials. Within minutes the room was a mess of blood and guts and dismembered bodies. They were called the Executioners not just for their deadly precision and accuracy but also for the other tools they used to disarm their opponents, literally.

"Hallway secured Lord Vader!"

"Good. Clear the other rooms, I shall secure the Throne Room alone"

"Understood sir!"

Vader entered the Throne Room as the doors unwillingly opened. As his head rose to "greet" the occupants he stopped as he seen people he recognised. A group of people alongside the new Queen., Padme's family.

Tarkin's eyes lowered. For the first time in his life he felt truly uneasy. For their to be renegades within his Empire made him feel as if his own heart were being ripped up.

"What do you from me?" Tarkin's voice didn't show the signs of uneasiness. It was calm, as always.

"Always straight to the point Wilhuff eh? Very well. I want your expertise. I know you are the only one capable of building the new weapon and I want it. With such a weapon I could destroy the weapon once and for all and things will go back to the way that they were. Oh don't answer the question yet, I already know what you would say now. I'm giving you three years Tarkin."

Tarkin's head jerked upwards at the mention of his last name. The Clone was being serious, he wasn't joking.

"Three years to think about this, to analyse it. To live with the Empire as you now know it. Three years to the day you will be here in exactly the same spot as will I. It will be arranged that way. I expect the right answer from you Tarkin, don't disappoint me"


	5. Chapter 5

**Star Wars: Empire Dawning**

**Part 5: Dark Reunions**

Two guards tried to escort the family and the Queen out but Vader used the Force to lock the doors. There was no escape.

"Why did it have to be them? Here and now at this point," thought Vader before placing one hand on his lightsaber hilt, removing it from his belt. He gripped it tightly before igniting its crimson red blade. The glow and hum filled the room.

"What do you want with us?" asked the Queen, standing proudly at the door, trying not to be shaken by the Dark Lord.

Vader didn't answer. He began to move forward.

She failed. She became immersed within a state of shock the Dark Side had inflicted upon her but it was not Lord Vader who had done this. The planet itself was full of Dark Side energy for such a beautiful planet. But the planet did at one time hold Palpatine to practice his dark arts. Each victim of his tainted the waters of the river and the green grasses of the fields. The beauty was an illusion.

Vader moved forward slowly. His approach was menacing. A slow walk turned into a fast and powerful rush as his lightsaber impacted with both guards protecting the Queen. They fell, dying instantly. Vader looked up to the new Queen who was hiding in a corner, knowing she would be found and killed but still hoping. Vader raised his saber upwards and walked forward, waiting to unleash the killing blow that would do his master's will.

"Nooo!" screamed a voice to Vader's right. He suddenly turned to see Amidala's father trying to restrain him from killing the Queen and the rest of the room. He failed. In an instant Vader brought his lightsaber crashing down on the man. As he fell Vader could only see Padme falling, and more laughter inhabiting his mind. Words then came from the same laughter "Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!"

Everywhere Vader looked he seen Padme's face. He clutched his head, trying to break away from the pain he was feeling but he failed. He brought his lightsaber up and began his killing spree of the Amidala family. It took seconds for them all to fall and then the Queen also did. Vader disignited his lightsaber and was about to leave the room when a hand grasped his foot. It was Padme's father and he was laughing at him. The face then changed from Padme's father to Palpatine's face. The laughing continued. Vader turned away and exited the room. Another vision. And he had found the cause. Palpatine.

Tarkin looked on at the Clone who was staring at the sky above.

"I will not join your or your band! That is the answer I give and will always give. The Emperor will know of this."

"We shall see in three years Tarkin. Just remember I will give you some incentives on the way however. Oh. Look!"

The Clone pointed his hand to the sky. "Here will be your chance to tell your precious Emperor.!"

Tarkin looked up at the landing Imperial Attack Cruiser and then back to the Clone. Gone. The Emperor wasn't going to like this.

The Emperor greeted Tarkin personally. Tarkin bowed slowly and then began walking with his Emperor.

"Tarkin. What happened down there? Must have been important for you leave your post."

Tarkin was about to answer but Palpatine continued speaking.

"I do not appreciate having a ship full of dead bodied crewmen. If you were any other man you would be dead at this moment in time. It is not beneficial for a stable Empire"

They were dead? The Clone must have had them killed. It was a warning of what he could do. Tarkin's fear of speaking against the Emperor was rising but he had to say something.

"I assure you when I left them they were all alive and I do not take responsibility for their deaths!"

"You… don't?" Palpatine turned. His old face eyeing Tarkin, raising his eyebrows.

"No. And I do think that what happened was beneficial to the security of the Empire if you will let me continue"

Palpatine gave a low smile. Never had he seen such vengeance in an officer's eyes. He could see no fear in Tarkin. He nodded.

"We shall continue this elsewhere. Walls have ears Governor"

Tarkin looked around at the other officers, cautiously, thinking to himself, "You are more right than you know".

Vader greeted his Executioners outside the Palace.

"Security has been brought to the Empire Lord Vader!"

Behind the helmet Vader was fuming. It seemed Palpatine had been tampering with his mind. It was all Palpatine's fault.

He walked on, passed his guards and back to his ship.

The Executioners boarded the ship. One of them turned back to see Vader standing, looking over a smouldering Palace and countless bodies on the grounds. "Lord Vader?"

"Get on board. I shall join you shortly"

The Executioner nodded and walked onto the ship. The ramp retracted and the entrance closed. Vader ignited his lightsaber. He felt a presence. A Jedi? No. It was strong with the Force but it contained no Jedi traits from what Vader could sense.

Then something moved from a piece of rubble. A shadow was all Vader could make out but the presence remained. He began to focus but the presence he felt was gone. Vader deactivated his lightsaber and gave what could have been recognised as a sigh of anger. Somehow it had managed to evade him, and if honest Vader had more important things on his mind, Palpatine. The entrance to the shuttle opened and Vader got on board. Little did he know, the shadow of the presence followed him onboard.


	6. Chapter 6

**Star Wars: Empire Dawning**

**Part 6: The Evil Among Us**

Vader entered the temporary quarters and sat down on a chair. He clasped his helmet, his mind was racing. "Why", he thought. "Why would he do this, to me!". His mind was overcome with rage and he knocked all the reports and holo-recordings of Padme off his desk. One of them unexpectantly played, its blue light shimmering over Vader's helmet. It was a message she had sent him during the Clone Wars. She was telling him about the senate and her retreat on Naboo, where they were going to spend their holiday secretly. Using the Force he crushed the projector. He didn't want to remember her. He wanted to forget, he wanted to forget it all.

A chime interrupted his thoughts. "Enter", growled Vader and the door opened. He turned his head slowly to find no one there. He realised quickly that what he felt on Naboo, was now here. "Captain Fell", he commanded. "Seal off this section. We have an intruder on board"

On board the command station, Fell answered and complied with Vader's orders. The section of the shuttle containing Vader's quarters and the other troops was shut off and every room locked. The entrance's to the bridge were locked and bolted with another blast door. Vader sat back down in his chair, focusing his mind, allowing the Force to pinpoint this creature, this presence. Slowly, the information came to Vader. It was directly behind him.

Tarkin sipped his the glass of Correllion bourbon, which left a nasty taste in his mouth, similar yet worse to the smell of a sweating Wookiee. He made a small face of disgust before accepting the Emperor's favoured drink once more.

"Is what you have told me accurate?," inquired Palpatine who had been staring out the window, overlooking the vastness of space. How reliable was the source?"

Tarkin took another sip. A little courage was needed for the topic he thought. "I'm not certain but I believe so. It's obvious that he killed the crewmen and also that he was definitely a clone, or at least appeared to be."

"I did not foresee this happening so soon." Palpatine's chair spinned round to face Tarkin. His face was withered and haggard more than useual. It was obvious that, for one, the Emperor had not planned carefully enough. "I knew of the existence of the group, I just did not believe they had employed themselves so deeply within my ranks. This will be a troublesome three years Governor". Palpatine paused, a smile creeked up his face. "For you."

"I am sorry my lord…" Tarkin paused, reaslising what Palpatine had just said. "For me?"

"I appreciate you coming to see me about this matter Governor. If you hadn't, you would have been executed upon arrival."

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew" bluntly stated Palpatine. "To a Sith all minds are open. Do not forget that Governor."

Tarkin nodded yet began to inquire further as the Emperor had not truly answered his question. He had simply done the thing that most politicians did, speak around the question. "How will this be troublesome for me alone?" Tarkin forgot the courtesy of adding a "lord" onto the end but to be honest he didn't care for it in such a situation as this.

However, Palpatine was no longer a politician, he was sole ruler of a Galactic Empire. "You will refine your plans here. With me. It will be safer that way. When the time is right we will construct the Death Star after another prototype or two. In secret. When the time is right, we will rid ourselves of these… flaws within my system. Within time, the Empire will be so secure, it will never be able to be stopped"

Palpatine's smile diminished. "I will have men employed to work on the Death Star with you. Such a task needs trusted members of the Empire and no clones. Once the initial plans are completed we will set up a number of stations on remote planets. They will contain only humanoids. Only you, those used and myself will know. We must be cautious."

The hum of the ignited blade filled the room. Vader stood slowly, almost floating like a spirit and turned to face his foe. He still saw no one but he felt their presence.

"You are a coward to not unveil yourself. Reveal, and I will end this quickly" The words seemed to echo off the four walls and the mechanised breathing added a certain coldness to the threat. To Vader's surprise a flicker of light appeared in his room. Vader tried to block whatever was coming for him with his lightsaber but nothing came. More flickers of blue light flashed around the quarters, then focussing all on one point. They seemed to whisper something but Vader, even with his advanced hearing, couldn't make it out. In a fury of rage he crashed his saber of light down onto his table screaming all the while "Show yourself!"

The whisper returned but now it seemed clearer, more like a voice, a familiar voice. It spoke smoothly, with no anger whatsoever. Just peace. "Hello my young friend"

Vader's saber dropped suddenly. He took a step back at the vision that had appeared in front of him to match the voice.

"Qui-Gon?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Star Wars: Empire Dawning**

**Part 7: Reminisces**

The spirit form of Qui-Gon Jinn shimmered in what seemed an eerie blue light. His smile was almost gleaming on Vader's dark metallic helmet in bright red, before Vader deactivated his lightsaber. It then fell from his hand softly but it stopped. Qui-Gon's hand was outstretched and it had lifted the lightsaber with the Force. He brought it closer to him and then Jinn examined it.

"Impressive. It is a marvel of a lightsaber." Jinn moved his hand ever so slightly, and all the pieces of the lightsaber came alive and apart from the main body. He looked upon the main crystal and the innerss of the lightsaber before replacing it all back together.

"However, I am not pleased with its blade." Qui-Gon ignited the lightsaber, it's red glow now appeared blue but Qui-Gon had changed nothing. It was merely the bluish tint of Jinn's appearance that was having an effect on the blade's colour. He lightly threw it back to Vader, ignited. Vader grabbed it, the blade returned to its normal red colour.

"So, that which the Council feared did come true. The Dark Side took over" Jinn sighed lowly before crossing to Vader, now standing in front of him. "Turn back to the light!"

Vader crashed his lightsaber through the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn screaming "Never!" The flush of anger did less than hoped. Nothing. "Leave me ghost! Leave me now!"

And so he did. To Vader's surprise. The ghost of Qui-Gon Jinn vanished, almost as quickly as it had come. Vader looked at his saber before lowering his head once more, feeling pain from his former life, feeling pain from his current life.

Commander Fell sat in the command chair, eyeing space before him. "Can't we go any faster lieutenant?" Lieutenant Yeowq turned, shaking his head. "We're at maximum speed Commander. Only two more standard hours left until we return to the fleet." Fell sighed, trying to sink more within the chair he had found uncomfortable due to the amount of time he had been sitting in it. He began to close his eyes behind his helmet, hoping to get a little shuteye when Vader's booming voice came over the speakers on the bridge. "Commander, turn this ship around! We're going back to Naboo! No questions." With that Vader once more cut the link as he always did. Never did they have a full conversation with him on the bridge. Fell banged his hand down slightly on the arm bar. "Damn!" he thought. "Why back to that planet. Couldn't he have picked another time!" Fell came out of thought, jumped up from his chair and walked over to Yeowq. "Set course for Naboo again Lieutenant, Maximum speed." Fell almost hesitated; the thought of Naboo sickened him.

He motioned towards the turbolift, about to enter it, when he was stunned by Vader, exiting it.

"ETA Commander?" boomed Vader's voice, that was cold and without feeling.

Fell pressed a few buttons on the panel to his right. The information quickly came up. "Twelve minutes my Lord"

Vader nodded his head. "Good!" Vader moved slowly towards the Commander's unoccupied seat and sat down. "You are dismissed Commander. I will call on you when you are needed". Fell's mouth grimaced, he didn't like being ordered away from his post but there was nothing he could do about it. "As you wish my Lord".

The twelve minutes passed slowly for the crew, but fast for Vader. He had practically sat down and then he was standing up again, looking onto the planet of Naboo that was all too familiar to him now. Next he was exiting the ship, moving through the streets of Naboo. Searching.

Vader ascended through the courtyards with his lightsaber in hand. No one dared go near him, or even be within his presence. His boots lowered the steps he had once done as a child and there he had seen it: the old, long-faded funeral pyre of Qui-Gon Jinn. The remains of the body had been placed within the crypt but still it brought back memories to him. Feelings, best left forgotten. He crossed to it, moving all the while with a sense of fear hidden by the cloud of dread that carried him. His hand moved, opening the crypt slowly. Nothing. At least no more spirits coming out to greet the Dark Lord. Behind his helmet Vader gave a sigh of relief then focused himself, continuing through the crypt to Qui-Gon's remains. The Jedi Council had not wished them removed from the planet, believing it may disturb the Force and even the dead.

The crypt door suddenly shut behind Vader. His breathing rate increased, commanding the Force to open the door. No effect. He tried again but still nothing happened. It was Qui-Gon Jinn's doing, Vader knew it somehow, he could feel it.

"Even in death you are as persistant as you are in life," hissed Vader, clutching his lightsaber hilt.

"Then you and I are not so different." The voice appeared around the room. Bouncing from one wall to the other, echoing around the various objects and hollow coffins within the crypt.

"I am no ghost," stated Vader. His lightsaber was now removed and its bright red light illuminated the darkened crypt. It's glow did not reveal Qui-Gon Jinn however.

"No, but you are dead. Crossing over to the Dark Side destroyed you Anakin, leaving a shell called Darth Vader"

"Qui-Gon Jinn did not have such a narrow view." Vader slashed at a coffin in rage, remembering his former master's ways.

"He does now. I'm going to save you Anakin. You were the Chosen One, you still are. I will not let the Sith destroy you""

The spirit suddenly appeared in front of Darth Vader. Qui-Gon plunged his hand into Vader. An aura appeared, crossing from Vader into Qui-Gon.

"You will fulfil your destiny. I understand that now, but you Anakin Skywalker will not fade. You won't fade no matter how hard you try. I won't let it happen!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Star Wars: Empire Dawning**

**Part 8: Ghost In The Shell**

Vader tried to resist his first master but he couldn't. It was if there was a strength even more powerful than the Dark Side coursing within him, extracting within him, pulling out a remnant of his former self for a prophecy he never understood or wanted to understand. He knew he was the Chosen One, but he failed. He turned to the Sith for power and power he received and therefore the prophecy itself was useless. He couldn't bring balance to the Force as a Sith. Yet somehow, Qui-Gon Jinn still believed in him.

"Leave me ghost!" screamed the Dark Lord, the mechanised voice almost creaking as he it was said.

Qui-Gon's eyes were closed yet there was a sense of focus within them. He knew what he was searching for and slowly began to drive it from Vader. It wasn't Anakin himself he was trying to bring out but yet more like memories of the once great student of the Jedi arts who now he stood next to. The second prophecy had told him what needed to be done, and thee would come a time when certain images would be needed to trigger the Jedi back into the man. However much he had read over the records of it he still didn't fully understand it. He didn't think that he would until the time came, as it was described.

Qui-Gon removed his hand slowly. A white light seemed to shimmer from it as he did so and as he looked upon Vader.

"What did you do," neutrally said Vader, his anger more controlled than he thought it would have been. As he said it he knew nothing was wrong, he sensed nothing different within him, yet he knew Qui-Gon had done something.

"I was looking for something. I have found it. That is all you need to know, Lord Vader," stated Qui-Gon quite sarcastically. He seemed more playful than usual but he knew there was a method to it. For this to work he would have to arouse the angered feelings in Vader again yet simplistically so that it wasn't noticed. And it worked.

"Leave me ghost!" exclaimed Vader, this time his voice booming loudly amongst the crypt. The red hum of the blade echoed after his voice and Qui-Gon Jinn's spirit was no more. Rage overcame Vader, he had finally destroyed a ghost from his past but now he felt a desire to kill more. To destroy more Jedi that were still alive around the universe. He moved his hand furiously; the crypt opened once more yet with more violence. Stoned crumbled throughout the crypt as Vader walked proudly amongst the graves of the fallen.

The netherworld of the Force was not pleasant. It was without time. It saw everything. The past, the future and the present were all at once given play in this world. The future was never certain however, it was never relied upon, it always changed and there were many alternate futures occurring within minutes when a new act was carried out or another person died. The inhabitants of the Netherworld were ageless also, living without time.

Ki-Adi Mundi stood in the council chambers of the Jedi Temple. He looked out the window and out into Coruscant. It was black. In the living world it was brightly lit but here in this one it was darkened by the Sith presence and the wandering of spirits who failed to find the right way into the Temple or the building that they would see. Perception was different in the Netherworld but the Jedi saw the Jedi Temple as their resting place. It was what was most familiar to them and also what every Jedi knew. Mundi's thoughts were of the lost spirits roaming both the living world and the Netherworld. Some of the luckier Jedi to find their path had been sent out in order to try and rescue some of the others and bring them home. He was worried, the darkness was growing stronger and the light of the Temple and its inhabitants was fading.

The doors opened and Qui-Gon stepped through, disturbing Mundi's thoughts.

"Did you have any success?" humbly asked Mundi, still staring into the darkness as if he were slowly being enveloped into it.

"I was able to locate him and I did get what we needed but something still bothers me"

Mundi turned. The darkness drifted from his mind and his attention was completely focussed upon Qui-Gon Jinn. "I sense the doubt in you." Mundi frowned. "Whats wrong?" he added softly.

Qui-Gon stared deeply into Mundi before answering. "For years the Jedi have been able to defeat the Sith but I have never felt a presence more stronger than with Anakin. When he was a child we knew of his power but he has grown in these years. I don't think we can truly defeat the Sith this time"

Mundi placed his hand on Qui-Gon's shoulder briefly in reassurance. "We might not be able to but the Skywalker children will. It's been stated within the proph-."

"The prophecy? The prophecy caused this, all of this! We can't solely rely on the prophecy. We're doing what it asks but we need more," Qui-Gon pointed towards the growing darkness on the outside. "We need to stop that and soon. If we don't we won't have any hope of returning the Jedi back to what it was." He moved back to Ki-Adi Mundi. "What about our teams out there?"

"All teams reported in. There is still no word from Aayla. We lost contact this morning."

"Lost contact? I thought that was impossible." Qui-Gon turned his head, looking outside again. Flickers of purple light, almost metallic in nature, seemed to be flashing outwards. Then it hit Qui-Gon and Ki-Adi, like a stabbing pain within their chests they felt the Force cry out in pain. It was more intense in the Netherworld than they had ever experienced before. They felt the presence that called out in pain, approaching death.

Mundi stared out at the flickers. Then the pain came again, sharper than before and in faster bursts. He clutched his chest feeling the pain, feeling the woman calling out to him: Shaak-Ti.


End file.
